The Hourglass
by Melicress
Summary: Time is relative. Seconds can be dragged out tortuously, or can be quick like sand slipping through your fingers. What if they never found him?
1. What you Wanted

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Kingdom Hearts, I would be able to afford that lighting table I really want...but I can't...so obviously I'm a broke student who wishes she owned Kingdom Hearts. :P

My first time writing for this fandom. I must say I'm excited.

**If you want to UNDERSTAND the STORY, I highly suggest you READ the FOLLOWING.**

This is kind of an alternate universe fic, but the story follows the previous plotlines established in KH, CoM, 358/2 Days, and KH2 EXCEPT at the following points.

-Riku never defeated Roxas (358/2) so Roxas is not reunited with Sora and is still wandering about. The digital replica of Twilight Town was created (KH2), but never used. Sora was awakened using other means (this will be explained later).

-Roxas does not know who Namine is.

-Sora did not recognize Riku in the Land of Dragons (KH2) This is just for convenience sake, has no real plot relevance.

-Sora did not find or see Riku in the World that Never Was (KH2). Sora defeated Xemnas alone, and got out of the world through Kairi's letter alone.

-Kairi does not have a keyblade.

That's about it. At least, all that I can think of right now. Now if all of that hasn't deterred you from reading, my final point is that this fic will not be focused around any romance or romantic themes/pairings. Meaning; interpret it how you want, it is neither Sora/Kairi, Riku/Kairi, or Sora/Riku. There will be moments, not unlike the game, where you might choose to view certain interactions to have romantic meaning. Please don't bother me with it, you will only get a :P face as a response. so :P

Still want to read it? Carry on! Reviewers will get cookies, my gratitude, and they encourage updates faster.

Although, I must say, I find this first chapter rather boring. xP

What You Wanted 

2 whole years had passed.

2 whole years.

And they hadn't found a single thing.

Not a sight, sound, presence...

...anything.

2 whole years of waiting.

2 whole years of biding time.

2 whole years of relying on letters.

2 whole years of frustration.

Sora was furious.

What was it? Did the king not trust him anymore? Did they think they didn't need him anymore? They hadn't had any success. None! They had no idea where to even start looking for Riku! Now was as good a time as ever to ask for his help! He was no use here, stuck on this island, sipping tropical drinks and reading letters. Sora flopped down on his bed with a huff, flinging the latest apologetic letter into the corner.

Sora could still remember clearly the day they had finally made it back. Once they had made it into their village, they were welcomed back graciously; his family and friends had been so worried for him. And for a moment, caught up in all the excitement, Sora had forgotten that they were missing someone. Sora still couldn't get over that, that he, even if for only a moment, had forgotten his best friend.

But it wasn't long until he remembered.

_He was embraced from all sides; his friends, his family, they were all here. They were so happy to see him, and a million questions were bouncing through the air. He hadn't felt this glad in a very long time. After a few moments, and after everyone had a chance to hug him, they all fell back, chattering happily. Sora was happy to answer their questions, and soon found himself caught up in telling the story of their adventures together._

_After the tale was mostly done, and the sun had almost set over the horizon, people started to trail back towards their homes; only after he promised to tell the rest of the story tomorrow. His mother and father waited for him, their smiles almost too big for their faces. He too was smiling, he was finally going home with them._

_He hugged each of them, promising them that he would be with them in a moment. He wanted to say goodnight to Kairi before he left. Looking around, Sora caught sight of her just behind a couple of coconut trees. He sighed with relief. He was worried that she might have already gone to sleep. He walked up casually to her, sneaking around the edge of the trees. He chuckled quietly to himself, hoping that he would be able to surprise her. He listened closely, trying to wait for the opportune moment to jump out._

_And all of his happiness drained away._

_Kairi's arms were wrapped around a huddled figure, soft words of comfort coming out of her mouth. The figure was crying quietly, strands of white-gold hair sticking up out of Kairi's hands. Sora came forward solemnly, wondering what was wrong._

"_Hey." He rested a hand on Kairi's shoulder, looking down at the person sobbing in her arms. "What's going on?"_

_Kairi shot him a meaningful glance as the figure stopped sobbing for a moment. Sora waited patiently as the person rose, soft golden curls falling to rest around a distressed face. Startling aquamarine eyes opened up to meet his, and with a pang of recognition Sora saw who it was._

_Riku's...mother._

_They stared at each other for a moment, and then eventually the petite woman lowered her gaze to study her hands._

"_I suppose," she murmured, "That you don't know where he is either."_

_Sora felt his insides squirm with tension. "No...I don't."_

_Riku's mother sniffed, a couple more tears falling down her cheeks._

_Sora reached out to her, pulling her into an embrace of his own. "Hey." She returned the embrace, burying her face into his jacket. "Hey, it's going to be alright." More tears came as her hands clenched the fabric of his shirt. "The King; this really clever person, is out looking for him right now. We'll find him."_

_She looked up at him with wide hopeful eyes. "Really? So...h-he's not..."_

_Sora shook his head. "He's not dead, how could he be? He's Riku. Riku doesn't die."_

_A small sad laugh came up through her throat. "Yes," she nodded, "You're right. He's my son. My Riku. He can't die."_

_Sora nodded vigorously. "That's right." He smiled. "We'll find him. I promise."_

Sora winced as that particular detail came back to him. He had promised her. **Promised. **

He had sworn that he would never break a promise. No matter how difficult it became to keep.

And Sora knew that with each passing day, it would become more and more difficult.

The more time passed, the less likely it was that they were going to find Riku. The last lead they had on him was from a couple in Traverse Town that said they had seen a young, blindfolded man with silver hair being pursued by one of the larger heartless. That was 5 months ago. They had no new leads; nothing to go off of. The last time Sora had actually seen his friend with his own two eyes was when he shut the door to Kingdom Hearts on him.

Sora leaned back against his headboard, trying to imagine what Riku might look like now. He didn't really have anything to go off of, just the words of others who had seen him. They had described to him Riku's new appearance; on the off chance that he might not recognize him on first sight. Apparently, he dressed like one of those of Organization XIII, but also wore a thin black blindfold that covered his eyes. King Mickey had also told him, with little eye contact, that Riku would be much thinner than he remembered him to be.

Sora had one picture of Riku. It was in the sketchbook that Namine used to draw in, while he was sleeping. Most of them were crayon drawings; bright colours of people with distorted limbs and disproportionate backgrounds, most not better than what a small child could draw. However, as the pages went on, not unlike a practicing artist, the pictures got better and better. There was even a drawing of him that was almost perfect, if not for the shaky crayon lines.

There was only one drawing in pencil.

At the very back, on the last page of paper, there was the only drawing of Riku. Sora had a suspicion that Namine had drawn it while actually sitting in front of his friend. He appeared to be sleeping, haphazardly leaning against what Sora thought might be the pod that he had slept in for a year. He was dressed in black leather garb, a blindfold covering his eyes. Stray wisps of hair trailed down from his face, longer and thinner than he remembered. His lips were parted slightly in what might have been a snore, a hand resting limply against the structure he was leaning against. It was very realistic looking, with only a few fingerprinted smudges here and there. Sora truly believed that it was as accurate a depiction of Riku that they were going to get.

He remembered the first time that he and Kairi had flipped through it, they had stared at that final page for what must have been an hour. It was almost as though they were unwilling to believe that the picture that they were looking at was supposed to be Riku. He just looked too different. Kairi had actually had to ask Namine to confirm for her that it was true. It was only her Nobody's confirmation that made her truly believe that it was supposed to be him.

Sora twisted his hands together, brushing his fingers over his steadily fading callouses. He guessed that this was just a taste of what Kairi must have went through when both he and Riku were missing. This was only a little longer than what she waited before she had been reunited with him, and she had been missing Riku for just over four years now. Sora wondered at times if she really believed that they would find Riku at times, or if she was simply preparing for the worst. She spent most of her time with Riku's mother these days, acting as a kind of grim pillar of support for the grieving woman. The constant cycles of hope and hopelessness were taking it's toll on her, and Kairi could only offer that kind of support while the search continued.

In a way, Sora guessed that he felt guilty. Not that he hadn't tried to help. He just had no way of contacting them. True, they could send him letters, bottled and washed up on the beach, but there didn't seem to be any way of sending anything back. He had tried everything; from opening a portal of his own, to tossing bottled messages back into the sea. The world seemed to be locked somehow, and every time he tried to unlock it using his keyblade, all he would get was the image of the backside of a lock. It was almost like it was locked from the outside, and not even the keyblade could open locks backwards. He suspected that the bottles just floated back to shore on different points on the island; he had the misfortune to come across one not too long ago, triggering a fit of angered hopelessness and much tree-beating from him.

If only he hadn't shut that door.

He didn't need someone else to necessarily _pull_ the door from the other side to close it. He could have pulled Riku _through _the door and had him help him _push. _Maybe if he had thought about it for a moment, just a split second, he could've really comprehended what he was doing. Maybe it was because the King was there, and he believed that the King would be able to keep Riku safe. Maybe it was the confident smile on his friend's face, _encouraging _him to do it. Maybe it was just that he was caught up in the moment; desperate to get that door closed. Or...

"_Take care of her."_

...maybe...

_Sparkling cerulean eyes, a peaceful, accepting smile._

...Riku...

_Sure, strong hands pulling at the door, helping him close it._

...is this what you wanted?

* * *

Yeah...kinda boring I know. Mostly thought contemplation n stuff. Tell me what you think? 3 till next time


	2. An Off Day

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or affiliated companies or their characters. Made by a fan for fans :)**

So, yeah, here's the new chapter. This one's really long, probably the longest chapter I've written for any story thus far xD (I'm notorious for short chapters) I really hope that you enjoy it, it's kind of dull but has a lot of important details in it. Please give any constructive criticism as you see fit :)

Reviewers get cookies! :D

* * *

An Off Day

_I saw the flowers bleed_

_I saw them bleed_

_For you_

_And for me_

_Bright black drips_

_Coloured the snow_

_That day_

_In late November_

Did you ever have a thought that you couldn't finish?

_When the flowers bleed_

_Their seeds_

_They fly among the living_

_The gift of life_

_Is tossed about_

_And leaves those lost_

_In mourning_

Like you knew the answer, you knew the rest, and yet...

_Weep for bleeding flowers_

_Your tears will sow their soil_

_Weep for bleeding flowers_

_Don't whimper and recoil_

...it was just too damaged to remember?

_Remember the flowers_

_Remember the blood_

_Remember those lost that day_

_Remember this_

_These memories_

_And that which you love_

_Might stay_

_

* * *

_

Remember...Sora.

* * *

Sora woke with a start. Breathing heavily, he reached an unsteady hand for the lamp resting on his beside table. His room was exactly the way it was many years ago; when he left. He hadn't had the heart to change the bright blue sheets or repaint the sky print ceiling, even though he was getting too old for such decor. His mother told him that she used to spend some nights sleeping in his room, hoping that somehow he would just appear in the bed next to her, or come sneaking through the window like he used to do when he snuck out to meet Riku and Kairi.

_I wonder if Riku's mother does the same thing._

He rolled over, burying his face in his pillows. He hadn't spoken to Kairi in a while. She hadn't really made an effort either. Sora had the suspicion that she was angry with him, although he couldn't really figure out why. The past few weeks had been stressful on the both of them. The letters were coming more frequently now, always with frantic apologies of no news and empty promises to come visit him sometime. He had always gone to Kairi with the arrival of each letter to share the contents with her, thinking that she wouldn't like it if she were left out. But, the last letter that he had shown her, she had snapped at him, telling him that she "could guess already and really didn't need to hear anymore."

It was just so unlike her. She was always such a kind, happy, and understanding person. Every other time he showed her a letter, she listened eagerly, even if it said the exact same thing that all the others had said. She was always thinking optimistically, saying that she had waited for him, and that Riku couldn't be far behind him. She would even laugh and tell him that the only thing that worried her was how irked Riku was going to be that Sora beat him home.

But, just in the last while, something changed.

_I should talk to her._

Springing out of bed, Sora chanced a glance at the clock. 5:17 am. Not bad. He had been woken up earlier. He could never remember what he dreamed, he only knew that they woke him with a start and a slightly familiar feminine voice ringing through his head. He mostly shrugged the dreams off now. If he couldn't remember them, he decided, then they couldn't be that important.

Slipping on a black t-shirt and some matching shorts, Sora tiptoed to his door. His parents had gotten into the practice of sleeping light, and would often come to check on him if he made any noise. They were getting better about it now, but every now and then he would look up to see his door open a crack wider than where he left it.

Resting quietly on his socked feet, Sora slid down the hallway and swung himself down the stairs. He found it easier just to skip the stairs altogether; you never knew which step was going to creak treacherously when you stepped on it. Landing softly on the hardwood below, Sora grabbed his shoes and quickly laced the bright white laces. The laces were always that bright shade of bleached white; not because Sora was particularly careful about where he stepped, but because his mother insisted on throwing them in the washing machine once in a while.

Speaking of his mother...

"My, and where would you be going at this early hour?"

...she was standing right behind him.

Sora flinched.

"Uh, well, you see, I couldn't get back to sleep, and thought that I would, ah, go for a jog?" He scratched his ears sheepishly. His mother narrowed her eyes to green slits.

"Well, why don't you come have some breakfast first, and then you can, ah, go for a jog." His mother turned on her slippered heels and marched back into the kitchen, obviously expecting him to follow. Sora made to follow her down the hallway.

"Sora."

He paused. "Yes mom?"

"Take your shoes off first."

"...yes mom."

* * *

It was just going to be one of those awkward mornings.

Of course, on top of everything else, it had to be a Monday.

A Monday, and a school day.

Well, for other children.

Sora could remember well the heated argument he had with his parents not long after he had come back. Luckily, when he had arrived, it had been the middle of the summer holidays, so not it had not been on the forefront of his parents minds. However, as the time for registering approached, so did the issue of his education.

It wouldn't have been a problem, if he hadn't missed 2 years of school. Now, he would have to take supplementary classes in addition to regular classes, and possibly enrol in an extra year of high school, just so he could get a diploma. And, in retrospect, Sora couldn't see what good it would do him. He had combat skills, magical skills, and tactical skills beyond what most people his age could handle. He could put these skills to use in many fields; on this world or off. And yet of course the school system and educational advisors were fretting because he could not do basic algebra.

Well, a lot of good basic algebra had done him in defeating Xemnas.

But of course, his parents had wanted him to continue, and to finish his education. They expected him to finish high school, even though he knew for a fact that his father never had, and that his mother had barely passed with a 52 average. They wanted him to head off to college or university off island with the other bright students, get a degree, and become marvellous at whatever intellectual profession he chose. It was the same for all parents really, they all wanted their children to become great.

That's why it was hard for them to comprehend that he had already become great, had saved not just their world, but several worlds from destruction twice, and had gained enough funds from those ventures to put himself and two other people through college multiple times; even if it was in a different currency and therefore unusable on the island. Once he figured out how to get off of the island and back to the other worlds, he wouldn't have a problem in transferring it into something that could be used on the island. And then he would find Riku, and together they could open an arms business or something and sell shiny things to the people of the universe. And Kairi would help design the shop and they could make rings and bracelets out of the different jewels from different worlds, and everything would be perfect.

Such was the world from Sora's point of view.

This was very different from the world from his parent's point of view.

And so, they had reached a stand-off between their differences, which ended in tears from his mother, harsh words from his father, and a slammed door and hours of seething and guilt from Sora.

The topic was not brought up again. He did not go back to school. He worked at the general store as an cashier instead.

But that did not mean that the feelings were gone.

And it didn't help that his father was staring at him over his coffee mug.

It was time to lighten the mood a bit.

"So Dad, what are you doing at work today?"

His father's weathered brow creased behind his heavily framed glasses. "Fishing, Sora. Like I do every day."

Sora winced. Apparently both of his parents had woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. "Oh, it's just that you're both up earlier than you normally are." It was true, they didn't normally get up until six.

His father snorted, taking a sip of his coffee. "I can't imagine why."

_What? _Sora looked at his mother, who was methodically washing a pan recently used to make pancakes. She was frowning too, and scrubbing at a stray bit of batter. Never a good sign. He turned back to see his father looking at him with a calculating look. He gave in.

"Did I do something?"

His father gave him a long hard look, as if trying to see through something. After a moment, he lowered his eyes back to his coffee mug. "You don't remember?"

Sora tipped his head to one side. He heard his mother stop scrubbing the pan. "No, I don't."

His father sighed. "You were just talking in your sleep. It woke us up earlier. Don't worry about it."

As if on cue, his mother came up behind him and plunked a plate of pancakes in front of him, ruffling his hair. "There you go. Now eat your pancakes. You want to get started on your 'jog', right?" She smiled, waltzing back into the kitchen.

Sora looked up, distracted for a moment. "Thanks mom." He turned back to face his dad. "I'm sorry, but what did I sa-"

His father was gone.

_What?_

Standing up, Sora swung his head around, just in time to see his dad grab his keys off the hook and walk out the door. "Hey, wait!"

"What's wrong Sora?"

Sora turned back to his mother, then looked back at the door. "Well, nothing, it's just that I wanted to ask Dad what I said while I was sleeping, but he just left."

His mother smiled. "There's no need to worry about it dear. Your father wants to get started while the day's still young."

Something about that statement seemed odd to Sora, but he brushed it aside. He sat back down. "Do you remember what I was saying in my sleep? It seems to be bothering Dad."

His mother ruffled his hair again. "He was more awake than I was. He's just tired. Don't worry about it, he's not angry with you."

"Oh," Sora contemplated his pancakes again, "I'll just talk to him later then."

Smiling, his mother turned, a pot scrubber still in hand. "You'll want to hurry, if you want to catch Kairi before school starts."

Sora choked on a mouthful of pancake. "How did you know that I was going to go see Kairi?"

His mother chuckled. "I didn't, but you just confirmed it for me." Sora glared at her reproachfully.

There was a pause.

"Sora."

"Yes Mom?"

"Eat your pancakes."

"...yes Mom."

* * *

The sun was rising in beautiful shades of red and orange once Sora stepped outside. It was still very early, and the air had that fresh, wet dew scent that it gained from moisture collecting during the night. The pebbled roads gleamed with a sheen of dew, and the plants glistened and reflected the bright colours of the sun as the light hit it. Sora took a deep, intoxicating breath.

Out of all the worlds he had travelled in, Destiny Islands by far still had the most stunning sunrises.

Adjusting the collar on his white dress shirt, Sora studied his uniform. He had originally intended to go out just wearing his casual wear, but by the time he had finished his pancakes, been lectured about leaving his shoes in the doorway as opposed to the side of the wall, and generally been fussed over by his mother, Sora didn't really see the point in walking all the way back to his house just to change. He started work right at seven, and he had already been late once this month. Not that his manager minded all that much; he worked hard enough to make up for it.

Smoothing out the creasing in his black dress pants, Sora walked steadily towards the steps of Kairi's home. He assumed that she would probably be eating breakfast at this point, and he would probably be able to catch her. Her father never minded him coming to meet up with her in the morning; Sora had grown up knowing her father and practically considered him family. Everyone on the island was pretty tightly knit.

He raised his knuckles to the door and knocked three times.

"One moment." A rumbling voice responded from the other side. Sora listened as precise, clicking footsteps approached. Obviously her father.

"Sora!" The door opened to reveal Kairi's father standing, fully dressed in his best suit, blonde stubble cleanly shaven off, leaving only a light moustache. Sora had heard that there was going to be some sort of media conference today, something about dwindling numbers of fish off of the east coast. Thinking about it, that could be part of the reason for his father's terse mood; he, as a fisherman, would probably have to attend.

"Good Morning sir!" Sora put on his brightest smile. "Is Kairi still around?"

Sora didn't miss the tense look that overcame the man's face. "No, she left early. Said something about going to watch the sunrise, or something like that. You'll probably find her on the beach." The mayor tilted his head to the side, looking Sora square in the eyes, green trying to x-ray blue. "Is it something I should know about?"

Shaking his head, Sora felt slightly unnerved. Was it just him, or were all the adults in his life acting strange today? "No, nothing really. i just haven't talked to her in a while. Just wanted to say hi."

The mayor narrowed his eyes, abruptly looking down to the shine on his polish-blackened shoes. "Ah."

And awkward silence ensued.

_Today must be just an off day._

Sora cleared his throat, forcing another smile. "Well, I'll go check the beach then. It was nice talking to you, sir."

The mayor smiled back at him. "Always a pleasure, Sora."

Sora nodded, turning around on the walkway, crunching noises following his shoes.

"Sora..."

Sora turned back to see the mayor still standing in the open doorway, fidgeting with his fingers. _Odd. _

"Yes sir?"

The mayor looked at him, a pained look crossing his features. "Nevermind, I'll tell you later. Tell Kairi I love her, alright?"

Pausing, Sora turned back uncertainly. "I'll be sure to do that, sir."

_Definitely an off day._

"And Sora."

"Yes sir?"

The mayor winked, the crow's feet along the sides of his eyes widening.

"You could stop with the formalities any day now."

"...yes si-...yes."

* * *

The beach still had a cool sea breeze coming off of the water. The sand had soft ripples printed in haphazard rows; evidence of the high tide that must have come in last night. The water was stained a beautiful shade of rose pink, complimented by the bright orange sun and sky. Just the smell of the salty air was enough to put Sora at ease.

The sight of Kairi, however, was not so calming.

She stood with her feet slightly submerged in the water, her school uniform already on. Her hair was tied back in a long, swept ponytail that flew behind her with each ebb and rise of the morning breeze. Her shoulders were tense, squared, and her jaw was clenched. Her grip on her school bag seemed slightly tighter than necessary, and occasionally her feet would shift to half-heartedly kick some sand into the water. She seemed to be lost in thought.

Sora approached her carefully, not unlike he would approach an unaware heartless. For some reason, he thought that he should tread carefully with Kairi; like if he didn't, he would get his head bitten off. It was something he was just dealing with on instinct. His heart pounded as he got closer. If Kairi was aware of his presence, she gave no sign; just continued to stare out at the waves and the water.

Standing behind her, Sora shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He could hear her breathing now, short startled gasps with a hint of moisture, suggesting that just moments ago, she had been crying. He felt his heart clench. This was just not going to be a good morning.

"Kairi?" His voice was soft, as if he were dealing with a spooked horse.

Kairi turned, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Her nose was red. "S-sora."

He reached out to her, placing his hands on her shoulders, griping them firmly. "Kairi, what's wrong?" Her overbright eyes scanned his face, and her lips trembled, but she didn't turn from him, which Sora took to be a good sign.

"I-I..." Kairi choked on her tears, letting a few more fall down her cheeks. Her shoulders starting shaking.

Sora pulled her forward into an embrace, his own emotions becoming mixed and stirred. He hated seeing Kairi like this; it just wasn't right. "Shh, it's okay. You can tell me."

She nuzzled into his shoulder, leaning into him heavily. Sora could feel her hiccup slightly, before turning her face to look up at him again. The anguish etched on her face was enough to make his heart shatter.

"T-that's the problem Sora. I-I...I don't think I can tell you."

Sora tilted his head to one side, his blue eyes narrowing. "Why? What on earth could it be that you couldn't tell me?"

Kairi looked at him, her eyes telling him that the answer should be obvious at this point. His breath stopped.

"It's about Riku, isn't it?"

Kairi turned from him, slipping out of his grasp.

"Kairi..."

"I just don't know Sora." Her voice was harsh and wet with tears. "I just don't know what I should do here."

Sora swallowed, preparing to plead. "Please, if it's something so bad that it has made you cry, I think I need to know."

Shaking her head, Kairi threw her bag into the sand, spilling her school books all over the ground. "I don't know!"

Sora's eyes widened. "Kairi!"

"I just don't know about anything, alright Sora? I wish that everyone would just stop asking me how I know, I just know! I don't know why I know! I don't even want to know!"

Sora took a step closer to Kairi, but stopped when she took a step back. "Hold on Kairi! I don't know what you're talking about here!"

"His heart! I-I..." She choked again, tears running through her fingers as she covered her face. Sora was at a loss as to what he should do. Sure, he was a fighter, a warrior who had defeated many formidable foes, but he had no clue as to where to begin with tears. Especially Kairi's tears.

"K-kairi..." His voice was shaky. He swallowed. "Please, just tell me what's wrong." Reaching his arms out towards her, he hesitated before getting too close. He didn't want her to run away from him.

Kairi sniffled, steadying her cries. Sora hoped to whatever forces that may be that she would stop crying soon, or that something was thrown into the mix that he could actually deal with.

She turned back to him, her hands falling at her sides, fiddling with the sides of her checkered skirt. He looked at her expectantly.

"Sora...I'm going to tell you, but I need you to promise me one thing first."

"Anything, Kairi. I would promise you anything in the world, information or not."

Kairi giggled a little at that, still brushing away the salty tear tracks on her cheeks. "Alright. I need you to promise me that you won't ask me why or how I think I know this. I just woke up one morning, and...I knew. That's all I know."

Frowning at the strange statement, Sora nodded hesitantly. "Okay, I don't really know why you're asking me this, but okay, I won't ask you why or how you know what you know."

Kairi took a deep breath, smiling at him. "Okay. I'll tell you." She looked down at her shoes. "You know how you and I have a strong bond, right? That our hearts are connected?"

"Yes." Sora didn't really know where this was going.

"Well, I also have a connection with Riku. With all the people close to me, in fact. Not as strong as the one that we share, but strong enough that I can get a sense of that connection from each person, if that makes sense."

Sora pondered this for a moment. "Yeah, that does make sense. Is that why you know whether it's me, Tidus, Wakka, or Selphie behind you, even if you haven't seen us yet?"

Kairi blushed. "Yes. Through this connection, I also can tell whether those people are okay or not. Like, remember when Tidus fell off of that construction beam on eastside? When he broke his leg?"

"Yes."

"Well, I knew that he was hurt, even before the crew found him. I just, didn't really know where it was coming from at the time, so I ignored it." Kairi looked up at him abruptly, scanning his face. "I don't sound crazy, do I?"

Sora shook his head. "Kairi, I've fought big, yellow-eyed monsters in multiple dimensions, with a key that disappears and reappears at my will; this is pretty mild."

Kairi's blush deepened. "Right, sorry."

Sora smiled, closing the distance between them and grasping her shoulders again. She didn't protest, but looked up at him questioningly.

"What I really want to know is, is what this has to do with Riku. Did you sense something from him?" Kairi's eyes widened and her grip on the edges of her skirt tightened. Her eyes got brighter, suggesting another onslaught of tears.

"S-sora."

"Kairi..."

She leaned into him again, grasping his torso in a strong hold. Sora stood, surprised, but wrapped his arms around her as well, patting the back of her head softly.

"I'm so sorry Sora." Her voice was muffled by his dress shirt. "I'm so sorry."

Sora felt his gut crawl in dread; as if his insides knew what she was going to say before he even heard it.

She looked at him again, twin pools of the sincerest blue glittering at him.

"His heart, I can't sense it anymore."

And his heart stopped. "W-what?"

The pools blinked at him, more water and salt gathering at the edges.

"His heart Sora; it's gone."

* * *

Oh, mai...

...did anybody else notice that I made Sora taller? :D


	3. Steps to Take

Sorry for the wait folks. Here's the next little bit, in it's rough, mostly unedited glory. Cheers.

* * *

Steps to Take

"I'm so sorry, Sora." Her voice was muffled against his shirt, her hands clutching the damp cloth, crinkling in into little balls. He would get in trouble, later, for the wrinkles, but right now he simply did not care.

"It's alright." Sora cleared his throat, the response coming out dry and painful. His heart was thumping painfully in his chest, repeated denials running through his head.

_Maybe she's wrong. It could be something else. He could just be hurt or lost or too far away or maybe Kairi's connection just wore out and they aren't connected anymore...or...anything._

_She' s a princess of heart; if anyone knew anything about the state of Riku's heart, it would be her._

_But, it just seems, so unreal._

_And when has that stopped anything from being real._

_Shut up Sora._

He was late for work. She was late for school. People were going to start looking for them soon.

Not to mention that her father was not going to be happy with him.

His parents wouldn't be pleased either.

Wonderful.

He felt Kairi shift in his arms as the last of her tears quieted down to just small tremors. His own tears had stopped coming, and he found himself becoming more and more steady with each passing moment. The sun was fully up now, warm rays steadily beaming down on their heads, heating up the sand spread out beneath them. Sora tightened his hold on Kairi for a moment, watching the ebb and flow of the bright blue waves cresting over the horizon.

It was time they pulled themselves together.

"Kairi." Sora whispered softly into her hair, coaxing her out of her sorrow. "You're late."

Kairi sniffled, then straightened, wiping stray droplets away from her reddened eyes.

"So are you." She whispered back.

He cracked a grin at that.

They both stood, shading their eyes from their bright surroundings. Sora shook himself, brushing off the sand that fell from him like a mini waterfall. Behind him Kairi did the same, fixing her long hair back into a neater ponytail and brushing off the edges of her skirt. Studiously keeping her eyes on the wrinkles in her clothes, Kairi bent down to pick up her discarded school bag. Shaking the sand wearily out of the pockets, she slung it over her shoulder, looking for all the world like she was preparing to face an enemy rather than just going to school.

"Let's go."

* * *

Sora walked her to the swinging double doors of Destiny Island's High School and watched as she marched inside, ponytail swinging around in her haste. He stood for a moment, standing on the grey paved path of the school that according to all other logic he should be attending this year. A pang of mild regret flew through him, and for a moment he wished that he could march right in there with Kairi, walk with her to her locker, sit in class with her, make her laugh when the teacher's back was turned; all the things that a close friend was supposed to do.

_Maybe I was wrong._

Listening to the hoisted Destiny Islands flag flap in the wind, Sora traced the glass of the double doors. Maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe, he could ask if he could start next term. His education was already screwed up; it couldn't get any worse, could it? Better late than never?

_I've waited for you, Riku. We're supposed to open that shop together. I can't leave. What am I supposed to do if you're not here?_

Kairi had plans. Kairi wanted to go to university on the mainland. Kairi wanted to major in physcology, and get a degree.

_Did you know, Kairi? That'd you'd have to move on like this? Possibly without me, probably without Riku? Did you plan it all along?_

Feeling hot pricks at the sides of his eyes, Sora felt oddly betrayed.

_Riku isn't dead Kairi. He isn't dead. Because Riku can't die._

And if he could get off this world, he would go ask Hades himself, just to prove it to Kairi.

Turning from the entrance, Sora felt that familiar flash of determination. All he had to do was find a way off this world. He was the keyblade master! Back-faced lock or not, he would find a way out eventually. The King and the others, they'd had enough time. He'd given them enough time. He was done waiting. He was going to find Riku _himself,_whether they liked it or not.

_If it takes me my whole lifetime to get off this island, so be it. At least I'll be working towards something worthwhile. _

Nodding as if to confirm his conviction, Sora starting walking. He really should get to work. Mr. Ifial was patient, but even he had limits. The last thing that he needed at this point was to get fired. Not when he had just taken the first step towards actually doing something in the past two years.

_Yeah, a new beginning._

He liked the sound of that.

* * *

"You are very late!" Sora gasped for breath as he came to a skidding halt in front of the general store. Mr. Ifial was already busy sweeping the white wooden stairs leading up to the entrance of the store, little chips of paint flying about as he did so. The painted red sign proclaiming "General Store" already had the swinging "open" sign attached to the bottom, and from a brief peek through the screened windows Sora could see that Mr. Ifial had already set up the till.

Sora bowed his head. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Ifial."

Mr. Ifial brushed back the edges of his grey receding hairline, exhaling exaggeratedly. "And your uniform is crinkly too there, Mr. Sora. What on earth am I going to do with you?"

Sora brushed the edges of his once crisp white shirt, as if his hands could undo the damage. "I'm very sorry, I...ran into trouble this morning."

The wrinkles on Mr. Ifial's face deepened, chocolate brown eyes narrowed. "Trouble, you say." He leant on the handle of the fraying broomstick. "Trouble, would not happen to do with a certain Mayor's daughter, now would it?"

Sighing in defeat, Sora leaned against the store railing. He couldn't hope to hide anything from that man. He sometimes wondered if the man didn't secretly possess some sort of magical powers, but he knew better than to bring that up. Although the people of Destiny Islands were aware of the outside worlds, and of their capabilities, that didn't stop them from being very suspicious and wary of the circumstances of his disappearance, and subsequent reappearance.

In short, magic was still magic, and magic to them was fairy tales.

"I suppose that it might."

Twisting the handle of the broom around in an exaggerated motion, Mr. Ifial gestured to the door. "Come along inside, boy, there's still plenty of work to be done." He walked, pulling back the white brushed wooden door, tapping habitually at the screen as he went along.

Sora swiftly followed him into the shop, the door creaking to a slammed close behind him. The shop, as usual, was crowded, but neat, items stacked high in neat piles on shelves, some even extending onto the floor. Every surface was painted that kind of regulatory, glossy white, chipped, scratched, and faded with age to reveal dusky browns of hidden wooden floor boards and far from polished countertops. Busy, tidy, and aging would be the way that Sora would describe Mr. Ifial's General Store; oddly not unlike the man himself.

"I need you to organize the stock in storage. The delivery came all out of order. Sugar with the flour and such." Mr. Ifial slide his way behind the stacked boxes of cornstarch to get behind the counter. "I will be doing till today." He tapped the cash register as if to emphasize his point, flashing him a crooked, old man smile. "Hop to it."

Nodding, Sora slid down beside the cornstarch boxes to get to the tiny little door that lead to the back storage. Or rather, the closet that they both wished was a storage. You could only fit so much stuff into the storage before it started to spill out into the rest of the store, which was part of the reason that Mr. Ifial never had stuff stored in there for very long.

Looking through the rather non-descript cardboard boxes, Sora had to crane his neck to see the barely visible stamps that declared the contents of each box. He busied himself with checking each box, making sure that everything in it was labeled correctly. It was a monotonous job, and he didn't like it all of the time, but to him, anything was better than sitting in a classroom learning about things that didn't matter.

Although, recently...

Sora sighed and placed a box down with stiff arms. Those thoughts would have to wait.

* * *

It was a few hours before Mr. Ifial declared a lunch break. It was a slow day, and Sora was grateful. He had far too many things to think about to really focus on the task. He and Mr. Ifial sat on the counter, a light breeze blowing from the open doorway. There was usually an afternoon lull, in the hottest part of the day, where everyone preferred to be indoors because of the heat. It was oddly comforting and terrifying for Sora; walking outside and seeing the streets empty reminded him of Radiant Garden when it was still Hollow Bastion, and that was both a comfort and a fear.

He chewed thoughtfully on the sandwich he had bought from the deli two blocks down, and watched as Mr. Ifial tinkered with the screws on the cash box. They had taken to popping out recently, and the side was beginning to rust. Sora had contemplated getting him a new box, but when he mentioned it Mr. Ifial had shaken his head and muttered something about those "new-fangled locks".

Sora smiled as he felt the tingle of his keyblade surface at the mere thought of a lock. He hadn't had a reason to summon it for a while now, so it was nice to know that it was still there, resting underneath his fingertips. He found himself longing for a good fight, ironically enough. Before, he was fighting to return to his island with his friends intact, and the world's safe. Now, the world's were safe and he was back on his island, and he was yearning for a challenge.

Well, that and one of those friends was still missing.

He sighed and leaned forward, pushing his forehead against clasped hands. It had been 2 years, and Kairi couldn't even sense him. He had waited and waited and still, there was nothing. They didn't know if the sightings were real, and false trails were laid and bled up dry and it was steadily driving him crazy.

_But Riku doesn't die!_

_Is __this __what __he __wanted?_

_But I **promised.**_

He had promised. He wanted his friend back. And he had promised.

_But you promised something that you had no control over. You can't leave these islands._

It was so frustrating, knowing that he couldn't do anything. Incredible powers at his fingertips, one of the most powerful weapons in the universe.

And he couldn't do a single thing.

"Hey kid."

He looked up to see Mr. Ifial looking at him critically, a screwdriver half hanging out of his mouth.

Sora offered up a weak smile, before glancing back at the floor. He shuffled self consciously, trying to sit up as straight as he could while perched on a counter.

"Just thinking." It was a lame answer.

"Ah." Mr. Ifial turned his attention back to the box.

The silence that was peaceful before turned awkward. Sora squirmed. Mr. Ifial seemed unfazed, studiously squinting at one of the rather unruly screws as he turned it slowly and deliberately back into place.

Old men have a particular talent for patience.

Sora did not.

"If your best friend was thought to be dead, what would you do?"

Mr. Ifial stopped abruptly, setting the screwdriver down. Sora looked at his hands, feeling the acid pricks in his chest start to build. Crying in front of Kairi was one thing; in front of Mr. Ifial was completely another.

"That's a heavy question there, kid."

Nodding slowly, Sora dared to raise his eyes an inch to study Mr. Ifial's expression. The man's gaze was thoughtful, almost wistful. The box lay forgotten beside him.

"These are not the words you will want to hear, Sora." Mr. Ifial spoke gently. "But they are necessary all the same. There are times in our lives when we reach a point of departure; when we diverge from those who we care about most. Whether it is distance, death, or just a conflict of interest, some people aren't meant to stay in our lives." He paused for breath. "When someone has been gone for as long as Riku, you have to be prepared. It's painful, because you don't know for certain, but that doesn't mean that your life stops." Mr. Ifial's eyes were painfully frank. "You need to act as if he is dead. As if he is never coming back."

Sora reeled for a moment. That wasn't the answer he wanted.

_I have to find him! I planned it all out, even if I waste a lifetime of looking I-_

_But he may never be coming back. Kairi can't sense his heart._

_Kairi can't sense his **heart.**_

_He's dead. _

"Kid."

The world came swimming back into view. The store shifted under a blurry lense. He hadn't realized he had started crying.

"I-I'm sorry Mr. Ifial." Sora hastily wiped his eyes. "I just...I want him back. I want my best friend back."

_Take care of her. _

_You knew you weren't coming back. _

He had cried enough today, he thought the tears were all gone.

"Kid," Mr. Ifial slid off the counter and took a step towards him, "I know it's hard, but at this point, you have to let it go. Riku would want you to carry on."

In his minds eye, Sora could see Riku scolding him for not attending school. For working at the general store instead.

_He __would __tell __me __that __I__'__m __an __idiot._

He choked out a laugh. He rubbed his eyes.

"Right, I supposed it's been far too long." He shook his head. "I'm sorry Mr. Ifial. I guess it's been on my mind a lot lately."

_If the past several years of my life count as "lately". _

Mr. Ifial nodded. "You gonna be alright?"

Sora thought about it for a moment.

"I don't know."

* * *

"Earth to Kairi!" A set of orange polished fingernails snapped in front of her vision. Kairi started.

Selphie was looking at her with an annoyed expression, black shoulder bag slung over one shoulder. "Heelllooo sleepy girl! Class ended like, 5 minutes ago!"

Kairi shifted, the white washed background of the classroom clicking back into reality. Several sheets of paper were still spread over her desk, none with writing on them. The rows were empty; everyone had already left.

She smiled weakly at Selphie. "Sorry, Selphie. I guess I'm just kinda spacey today."

Selphie leaned forward, a shrewd smile gracing her lips. "You always get like this, after you see Sora."

"How did you-"

She smirked. "Please Kairi, it's so obvious. You're never late for class otherwise. So has he popped the question or what?"

Kairi regarded her blankly. "The question?"

Selphie rolled her eyes, pulling Kairi out of her desk, causing some of the papers to scatter.

"Hey!"

"C'mon Kairi!" Selphie was chronically impatient with everything. "Tidus and Wakka are going to be playing blitzball out on the beach today, and I wanna watch! Prime time for the shirts to come off, get what I'm saying?"

Kairi's cheeks flushed red. "Umm, sure Selphie. Just give me a minute to clean this stuff up, kay?"

"Ohhh, fine." Selphie huffed, shifting her bag higher up on her shoulder. "But if I miss any of the hot, shirtless action, I'm blaming you."

* * *

_He stroked the edges of his face, marveling at the change in features. The very bone structure of his face was different; a stronger jaw, a longer, more slender nose. Blue tinted lips curved with a smile, white lines of scars curving and stretching. Hair fell past his shoulders, giving him a curtain he wasn't used to._

_An exact mirror to the lifeless form beside him. _

_He knelt down, sliding against the cold, grey concrete. There was nothing but mist as a backdrop, almost drowning both their figures. Blank, green eyes regarded him. A black gloved hand twitched. _

"_I'm only borrowing your face for a little while." He reached out his new hand, long fingers tangling in the hair of his victim. "I only need it until I get the body that is mine." He smirked leaning in close, nose to nose. Green eyes mirrored green. His clenched the hair tight in his fist. "Then I will be back, with his body and heart, and I will make you pay for what you did." His eyes glittered for a moment, turning from green to a hauntingly icy blue. "You'll pay."_

_**The portal has opened.**_

_**We may never see our parents again. **_

"_You'll pay."_

* * *

"Sora!"

Wakka leaned against the counter, wide, vapid grin dominating his face. Sora started out of his daze.

"Hi Wakka." He blandly tapped a pen against the white wood. "What's up?"

"Blitzball! You, me, Tidus. Beach. Now!" Wakka slammed his open palm on the counter, trying to look intimidating. Sora sighed and dropped the pen, looking back to Mr. Ifial to for a verdict.

Mr. Ifial didn't look up from the box he was digging in. "You've got 30 minutes kid. I need you after that to sort."

Sora blinked in confirmation, vaulting himself over the counter, causing Wakka to back up in surprise.

_Fight me, Sora! The more we practice the more we can kick Wakka's sorry butt later!_

Sora pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay. Let's go."

* * *

"Hurry up Kairi!" Selphie laughed as her bag bounced behind her, smacking against her knees as she ran. "I'll race you!"

She was gone in a flurry of oranges and blues.

Kairi smiled.

* * *

_He fingered the hilt of his new weapon. A shadow of the real one, but just as effective._

_**They said something interesting to me. They said that they need you. That you make up half of what he is. **_

_**I am no one but myself. **_

_**You know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.**_

_With this keyblade, he would finally be able to open that lock. _

_**Don't lie to me! I know that it was you! It's always you! You're always the one who takes things from me!**_

_He could taste the ocean air; salty yet sweet. Memories echoed in him. Memories that were not his._

_**Soon, all of these things will be mine.**_

_**All **__**of **__**it.**_

* * *

Let the action begin. Next up: 30 minutes.

Drop a review on your way out? :)


	4. 30 Minutes

Thank you very much for the reviews. I read and appreciated every single one.

30 Minutes

"Catch!"

Sora flinched as his face was greeted with the vibrant blue end of a blitzball. He caught it with ease, annoyed eyes lowering to the bouncing boy in front of him. Tidus grinned, kicking sand in his direction.

"Nice catch! See you've been keeping up on your skills!" Tidus waved his finger and winked. Sora wondered for a moment which "skills" Tidus was referring to.

"Yeah man, you haven't come out to play with us in ages!" Wakka walked around his back, coming to a stop beside Tidus. They shared a glance. "When was the last time he played, anyway?"

"Last spring." Sora spun the ball in his hands, getting used to the balance of it. He looked up to see Wakka and Tidus staring at him with twin faces of shock. "What?"

"Last spring? I don't believe this kid!"

"Geez I hadn't realized it was that long!"

"I know, right?"

"Crazy!"

They paused, looking him over. Wakka's face turned critical. Sora sighed, swinging the blitzball over to one hand. He didn't really want to play in the first place. It was really just a distraction to stop thinking about-

_don't._

He didn't really want to play.

The pair had gone oddly silent. Sora sighed. "What?"

"I dunno man, it's been so long," Wakka mused playfully, "You sure you still got the game to play with the big leagues here?"

Tidus laughed; a wide, honest expression. Sora remembered when Riku used to laugh like that.

_Stop. _

Sora shrugged noncommittally. "I dunno. You guys tell me." He forced a smirk. "I don't have to _prove _myself to you guys, do I?"

Tidus backed up in apprehension. "Haha, no no Sora!" He waved his hands. "We're just fine, we'll take your word on it!"

Sora smiled.

* * *

_**Closer and closer, everybody's right where they need to be.**_

_He stepped out onto the sand, feeling the heat beat down on his back. Waves crashed behind him. He banished the keyblade from his fingertips, letting his toes brush the ocean. Puffing in annoyance at a few stray strands of hair, he smoothed it back, wondering how any person could stand having so much of it in their face. _

_**Everything looks so peaceful. **_

_In the distance, he could hear laughter and the pounding of feet against the sand. It was time to make himself known. _

_He smiled. _

* * *

"Ohhhh! C'mon Kairi! I can see them playing already! I think Sora's with them too!" Selphie stood on her tiptoes, trying to extend her vision. She winked at Kairi. "A little extra incentive for you there!"

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say Selphie, these shoes are still no good to run in. We're almost there anyway."

Selphie huffed. "Fine." She fell into step beside Kairi, looking off into the deep, blue sky. "It's a nice day." Her voice sounded wistful.

Kairi felt an odd spark of apprehension crawl through her skin. "Yeah."

* * *

_Kairi was close to the beach; he could see her coming up over the hill. Sora was oblivious, focused on pelting the two boys with the ball. He paused for a moment, watching the two move closer and closer. It would make it more interesting, if both were present to see._

_**Her name is Kairi. One of Sora's friends. **_

_**I thought I recognized her. **_

_**Saix wants her. **_

_**What for?**_

_**Leverage. **_

* * *

"Hey boys!" Selphie's musical voice floated over them. Sora paused, tossing the ball back in Wakka's direction.

"Hey Selphie." Sora squinted. Kairi was behind her. "Hey Kairi."

Kairi blinked at him, eyes betraying nothing.

"Sora."

* * *

I'll come back to you! I promise!

I know you will!

* * *

_It was time to start the game._

* * *

Time seemed to freeze when he looked in Kairi's eyes. He always found her eyes beautiful; a perfect shade of blue. He glanced away, looking back towards Wakka. He was taking an awfully long time to get back on his feet.

"S-Sora."

Sora turned at the sound of Kairi's terrified voice. Her hand was on Selphie's shoulder. It was odd, she was being awfully quiet.

"Selphie." Kairi tried to shake her shoulder, but Selphie didn't move. "Selphie!" Her voice went up an octave. She turned back to face Sora. "Sora, she's cold. I...I can't move her why isn't she moving?" She tried again, her nails digging into Selphie's shoulder. "Selphie!"

Sora walked slowly forward. Selphie's body was frozen, her face stopped in the middle of a flirtatious smirk. Every part of her seemed rigid, her bag resting snug against her body. Sora's eyes widened as he recognized what it was.

_Stop spell. _

Kairi stopped, reaching out to clutch his arm. He winced as her nails dug into his bicep. "Sora," her voice had gone deathly quiet. "The sea."

He turned.

The waves had stopped, mid-splash. Torrents of water and spray were suspended in mid-air. Tidus stood a few feet from a wave, his chin tilted towards them in a smile. Wakka lay across from him, sand sprayed up in an almost-comical display.

Sora had never seen a stop spell on this large of a scale before. It was mesmerizing. He paused, speechless.

"Sora," Kairi started to shake, "What's going on?"

He tore his eyes from the waves.

"I don't know."

They both paused, staring at the ocean. Kairi's eyes widened.

"What about the rest of the island?" She rushed, "What if everyone is frozen?"

Sora hadn't thought of that. "They could be. But the question is then, why aren't we frozen?"

Kairi frowned, worry marring her face. "Maybe we should go-"

"Sora."

There was a voice behind him. An instinctual part of him screeched, grinding his thoughts to a halt. He knew that voice. He knew that voice! Kairi's face went white with shock as her eyes focused dead behind him, her mouth parting in a silent gasp.

He turned.

_Silver hair. _

Aquamarine eyes met his. A soft, confident smirk graced thin, pale lips.

_Riku._

"Riku?" Sora's voice was hoarse. He could barely find it.

Riku's eyes flickered away from his for a moment. Black gloved hands slipped into the pockets of an organization trench coat. "Hey Sora." His eyes flickered back, focusing on Kairi. "Kairi."

Sora felt Kairi flinch.

"Riku, you're..." Sora felt his heart start to pump harder. "...here?"

Riku looked at him, his eyes boring into him. "Where else would I be, Sora?"

Something about it seemed odd. Something in the gaze.

_Not right._

Kairi tugged his arm back, pulling him closer to her.

"Kairi, what-"

"Who are you?" Kairi's voice wavered, but not with fear.

Riku's smirk widened. It didn't suit his face. "You're more perceptive than I remember you, Kairi."

Sora blanched. A part of him had figured it out already. He chose to ignore it. "Kairi, what are you talking about?" He turned. "Riku, where have you been all this time?" He felt tears gather in his eyes. "I looked for you! I looked everywhere for you!"

"I was waiting Sora." Riku's voice had a musical hint to it. Sora didn't like it. "I was so _ashamed _of everything, I decided to wait. What on earth I was waiting for, I couldn't tell you." His tone seemed mocking. A black cloud swirled into being around his fingertips. Sora watched as a familiar blade materialized out of the air. The ghost of pearly white feathers puffed through the air. The blade looked like souleater, but the hum in his heart told him it was something else.

_Keyblade?_

Kairi shook his shoulder. "Sora! That's not Riku! It isn't him!"

Riku smiled.

"Perhaps I was waiting for the end of time."

"Riku?"

Spots erupted in his vision as Riku's arm came down in a solid slash. The blunt end of the blade collided with his head before he could blink. His fingers spread, dimly registering Kairi's screams, trying to summon his keyblade.

A second crack came down, and all he saw was darkness.

* * *

All she could do was scream.

That was all she ever had been able to do. Scream and squirm and cry. The one time she tried to fight it, she failed. Everything was so much more powerful than she was.

Riku was more powerful than she was.

She could feel the power, crawling underneath his skin. She knew it wasn't him the moment she looked at him. The soft, warm hum of Riku's heart wasn't there. Instead there was the cold wash she always got when Nobody's were around. Namine had sparked to life in her heart at the contact, and that was enough to give her warning. It wasn't Riku.

Not anymore.

_Could it be Riku's...Nobody?_

Namine shifted but said nothing.

Sora fell, eyes widened with shock. She saw grief briefly flicker across his face before he fell unconscious. Riku's blank eyes turned to her, keyblade in hand. The dark arcs of fear built up inside her, and she felt her breath quicken.

He took a step towards her, a cold grin stretched across his teeth. She took a moment and noticed tiny lines of white scars scattered over his lips. She felt guilty.

_All my fault._

_Namine?_

"Who are you?" She found her voice.

Riku tilted his head. The blade vanished. "I'm curious to know who you think I am. I willing to bet that you'll never guess."

Kairi shivered. "I don't know. I just know who you aren't. I just know that you aren't Riku."

"Ah." Riku smirked, bringing a boot close to nudge Sora's face. A protective urge fired through her but she held her tongue. She wouldn't win the fight. Riku, apparently satisfied by Sora's state, knelt down in the sand beside him, bringing a hand to caress the side of his cheek. He looked up at her and seemed to take her measure. "Why don't you come and sit with me, Kairi? We have much to talk about."

* * *

_I saw the flowers bleed..._

Everything was dark. He couldn't see an inch in front of his face. His throat felt like it was clogged with cotton, and his brain felt like someone had taken a hammer to it. In the distance, he could hear a soft murmuring, and he felt a presence in the darkness. He was not alone.

_The gift of life is tossed about..._

He tried to cough to free his throat, but his jaw wouldn't open.

_...and leaves those lost..._

He squinted. The murmurs were still there. He knew someone was with him.

_...in mourning._

"Boo."

He jumped. He would have screamed if his mouth wasn't glued shut. A hand came out of the darkness and rested on his shoulder. It was a slender hand, and that was the only thing he could tell from the touch.

"I didn't scare you, did I?"

He lifted both hands to his mouth. It was beginning to freak him out. Breathing through only his nose was starting to cause him some panic.

The stranger giggled.

"It's funny, even if I told you about myself, you wouldn't remember me."

He pried at the edge of his lip.

"It wasn't even you that knew me. And he isn't here. Not anymore."

Maybe if he summoned his keyblade, he could lever it open somehow.

"There are so many good things about him, about you. I hope you don't forget when you meet him."

He gripped his cheeks in frustration.

"He is, after all, a half of you. You'll have to live with him."

He felt like his oxygen was running out. Like something was closing in on him. Suffocating him.

"Me, you barely have to live with. I mean, I barely lived. What sort of fight can I give to a person who has lived for years and years?" They sighed. "What I wouldn't have given for a year. Those sunsets were beautiful."

Something else was darkening within him. He was losing something. He knew it.

"There's something you must remember Sora. You've forgotten it. It's been here. Buried in your mind. Buried for a very long time."

Light fluttered under his eyelids. He felt sick, like he had been on a boat for too long. His throat felt sticky, but a swell of nausea suddenly allowed his mouth to open in a gasp. He seized the opportunity. "What do I have to remember?"

"Remember, Sora." Their presence was fading from him. They were leaving. Or he was leaving he couldn't tell.

"Wait, but...you have to tell me! Otherwise, how am I supposed to-"

"Shhhhh."

He flinched and turned as another voice sounded close to his ear. He knew this voice.

She looked exactly the way he remembered her. Or rather, didn't remember her. Like a pale, washed out version of Kairi. She held a finger to his lips, blue, luminous eyes inches from his own.

"Namine!"

"Shhh! Listen to me Sora, I need to show you some things, but not here. Not with him watching!" Her eyebrows creased. She gripped his forearms. "When you wake up, you need to go to Kairi. As soon as you can. Just go to her. Run to her. Don't let anything stand in your way." Her fingers tightened. "Promise me, Sora!"

Sora blinked. "I-"

_Data restoration, engaged. Restoration progress, calculating. _

"I-"

"Sora!"

_Retrieving subject. _

"Sora!"

_Subject retrieved. Commencing. _

She was alone again. He left her alone again. Both of her. All of her. He slumped, the cold floor grinding against his knees and elbows. It felt like something was pulling on his head. It made him sick.

_Estimated restoration time, 30 minutes._

* * *

"Who are you?"

"Asking that question will get you nowhere."

Riku had always looked pretty to her. She had often teased him about it, when they were small. His eyes were a beautiful aquamarine; green and blue in different lights. His hair was something all the girls could be envious of, bright and shiny and light. His complexion was great too; sunkissed and smooth.

The pale wraith sitting next to her was nothing like him.

He had grown taller, but not by much. Something about him seemed stunted. His complexion had grown so pale it was almost white, and his hair had grown longer and split into feathered, static-charged chunks. His hair was paler than his skin, fading from the bold silver to ivory. His face frightened her; his cheeks were shallow and stretched, and his scarred lips had the whispers of blue and black weaved across the dry patterned cracks. He looked like he should be an inch from death, but he moved with a power that a dying person could never possess.

She wondered if this was really what he looked right now.

"You said we have much to talk about. What of?"

"I want you to come down here and sit with me Kairi, then we can talk." He patted the spot beside him, the other hand resting on Sora's arm. It made her angry. He shouldn't touch Sora.

"I don't sit with people I don't know."

Riku snorted. "That's very rude of you. Especially to a childhood friend."

"You're not Riku!"

His eyes fell on her again. "People change. Riku would be a stranger to you as much as I am."

"So you admit you aren't him."

"I never really confirmed that I was in the first place." He traced a pattern in the sand. "Look, we don't have time to be floating about the issue here, Kairi. If you want to know anything at all, I suggest you do what I asked you. It would work better for you. And for Sora."

She turned back to look back at the frozen ocean. He was behind it. She was sure of it. The power was coming off of him in waves. She looked at Sora. He was still unconscious. Her heart sank.

She took a seat, smoothing out her skirt. The sand was hard; it didn't move with her touch.

Riku's eyes brightened when she sat down. She felt a pang of recognition; for a moment, he had really looked like himself. She stared at his eyes. They were the most defining part of Riku, bright blue and green and full of life and laughter.

She wanted him back.

She wanted them both back.

"Kairi." His voice broke her out of her trance.

"I'm here." She said. "What did you want to talk about."

He turned from her, breaking the contact. She found that suddenly she could breathe easier.

"What do you know about Nobodies, Kairi?"

Namine stirred again.

_All my fault._

"I know that, when a person becomes a heartless; a strong person, they split into two pieces. One of those pieces is a Nobody."

Riku's teeth were awfully white, considering the rest of his complexion. She hadn't noticed before. "Very good Kairi," he purred. She flinched. "So you know then, of course, that Nobodies do not have hearts."

She didn't know where this was going. She didn't like it, either. "Yes."

He looked off at the horizon. His gaze was hard. "Awfully unfair, don't you think? I'm not so different." His fists clenched. Her heart skipped a beat. "Here I am, similar in every aspect except for that one key component." He turned to her, eyes flashing fire. "Is there any reason that such a thing can't be mine?"

Kairi's mind was racing, trying to put the pieces together. "I-"

"Save it, Kairi." He stood abruptly, arms gesturing at Sora. "I know what you're going to say. He was here first. His existence is the primary. It's his heart, and I'm only a portion. Not even a _half_." He rambled. "I've heard it all before, you know. I used to admire him. Wanted to meet him. I even quit the organization, left him behind and then I get repaid with this _freak,_" he gestured to himself, arms sharp and stiff, "Chasing me down and trying to end me." He sighed, looking down on her and she desperately tried to keep up with his rant. None of it was making sense. He seemed to sense her confusion, and slowly sunk back down onto the sand with a sigh.

"Kairi," he murmured, "Have you ever known what it feels like, to not be real?" Behind his gaze, she could feel someone else looking out at her. She sparkled with the sense of honesty finally leaking into the presence this person carried.

"No." She reached forward, carefully trailing a hand across his cheek. "But, I'm sorry, that you have hurt this way." She cupped his jaw, careful to avoid trailing her fingers across the white scars. Kairi could sense the pain coming off of this person in waves. He looked back at her with Riku's face, expression unreadable.

"You have 30 minutes, Kairi."

And her head exploded in a cacophony of voices.


End file.
